(PBA image)
At the halfway mark of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup eliminations, Barangay Ginebra and Titan Ultra both find themselves fighting to stay afloat — and desperately needing another win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Fresh off morale-boosting victories, the Gin Kings and the Giant Risers aim to sustain their newfound momentum when they collide in a crucial matchup at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
Ginebra finally snapped out of its early funk with a commanding 104-74 rout of the NLEX Road Warriors, improving to 2-3 and climbing to eighth in the standings. Titan Ultra, meanwhile, broke a four-game skid with a 97-86 win over Blackwater, moving to 2-4 and just behind the Kings in ninth place.
For Ginebra coach Tim Cone, the recent victory was a small relief amid a brutal early stretch. “I’m not happy with the 2-3 record, but it’s survival for us,” he said. “I would’ve preferred 3-2 or even 4-1, but that might’ve been too much to ask considering we faced Magnolia, TNT, Meralco, San Miguel, and NLEX to start.”
The Gin Kings dropped close games to Magnolia (73-80), Meralco (75-89), and San Miguel (81-83) before bouncing back with wins over TNT (92-77) and NLEX. Cone hopes the blowout win reignites the team’s rhythm as they brace for the unpredictable Titan squad.
Titan Ultra, on the other hand, opened its campaign on a high with a 100-96 upset over Meralco but went on a slide, suffering four straight defeats before regaining footing against Blackwater. Their campaign could’ve been steadier had it not been for a late-game collapse versus Rain or Shine, where Joshua Munzon’s foul on Anton Asistio allowed the Elasto Painters to steal the game from the line despite the Giant Risers holding a 19-point cushion.
Rather than sulk, the team used that heartbreak as motivation. “After the Rain or Shine game, we had a team get-together,” said sparkplug guard Fran Yu. “The coaches and management told us to move on — mahaba pa ang season. Pagbalik namin, nag-prepare kami nang maayos para hindi na maulit ‘yung ganung breakdown sa fourth quarter.”
Head coach Johnedel Cardel echoed the sentiment, noting that attitude adjustment was key to their recovery. “We had to change our mindset in the second half (vs. Blackwater). Nung second quarter, nag-kanya-kanya kami, kaya sila nakalamang. But in the second half, we stuck to our game plan — push the ball, play defense — and it paid off.”
Now comes a much taller order against a rejuvenated Ginebra side seeking consistency. Both teams enter Sunday’s clash not just looking for another win, but to prove they can string victories together — a crucial step in keeping their playoff hopes alive in the tightly contested Philippine Cup race.
